Q&A with 'black odyssey boston' actor Johnny Lee Davenport

By R. Scott Reedy, Correspondent

Tuesday

Apr 16, 2019 at 7:40 PMApr 17, 2019 at 7:46 PM

In “black odyssey boston,” Ulysses Lincoln, a Gulf War veteran believed to have been lost at sea, battles to get back home to his wife and son. Hindering him along the way, though, are a pair of troublesome gods, Great Grand Daddy Deus and Great Grand Paw Sidin, who fight for control of Ulysses’ fate.

Mixing together Greek mythology, African-American oral history, and music, “black odyssey,” written by PEN Award-winning poet and playwright Marcus Gardley, was first presented locally in October 2017 by the Cambridge-based Front Porch Arts Collective as part of its “God’s Closet Reading Series.”

After a production earlier this year at Trinity Rep in Providence, “black odyssey” returns with another fully staged mounting at Central Square Theater, April 25 to May 19, directed by Benny Sato Ambush and co-produced by The Front Porch Arts Collective and Underground Railway Theater.

Playing Great Grand Daddy Deus – and his alter egos Madison Eaton, a chef, and Super Fly Tireseus, the "shagadelic" prophet – is one of the acting gods of Boston theater, Johnny Lee Davenport.

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Davenport moved to the Boston area 13 years ago amid a career that has so far included roles in feature films like “Joy,” “The Fugitive,” and “The Blues Brothers,” a guest spot on TV’s “Law & Order,” and parts in numerous off-Broadway and regional theater productions.

By telephone recently from his home in Ayer, Davenport talked about his current project and more.

Q: How would you describe “black odyssey boston”?

A: It’s a take on Homer’s Odyssey that relates that piece to the experiences of black people today. The play is a combination of African tradition and Greek mythology. These African stories are essential. Because if we don’t know where we came from, we can’t know where we’re headed.

You have to have awareness of your past to make the future better. We can tell these stories no matter who we are. The African and Greek cultures are the same in so many ways. Family and love, and honoring one’s history and lineage, are what’s important in life. That’s the message of this play.

Q: Tell me about Great Grand Daddy Deus?

A: First off, it’s not often you get to play God. Great Grand Daddy Deus loves humanity and he has a lot of children. When he and Great Grand Paw Sidin stamp their feet, it’s like an earthquake. I have to approach Deus as humanly as possible. He is a little-g god, who believes in God.

I have a lot of fun playing him. You would think a Greek tragedy would be all heavy. But I try to bring the joy to it, because I love this guy Deus. There has to be adversity for Deus, though, too, and that comes in the form of conflict with his younger brother, Paw Sidin.

Q: What should audiences know about your other two characters?

A: Madison Eaton, the chef, is an ancestor of Ulysses who is trying to prevent his eating any of Circe’s food, which would make him stay and never get home. Tireseus is another ancestor, sent to help Ulysses on his journey. He’s also a seer who can foretell the future.

Tireseus is like Huggy Bear from “Starsky & Hutch.” He drives a Cadillac and speaks with the vernacular of the 1960s, saying things like my favorite line of his, “What it is, baby?”

Both Madison Eaton and Tireseus are parts of Deus, but you have to believe in them as individuals, too. The audience is in on it, but Ulysses and the other characters are not.

Q: How do your characters relate to Ulysses?

A: Ulysses is lost and my characters are all supportive of his journey. He has to meet his ancestors, but along the way, he also meets three sirens who are very seductive. Ulysses has to resist them in order to keep moving.

Q: Do you have a favorite among the three characters?

A: I love all three. They all have their function. When you play multiple characters, it’s important that they’re all layered into the fabric of the story so that the cloth is whole. It is important that all the characters are telling the same story

Q: I understand that while “black odyssey boston” is not a musical, music does play a role. Tell me about that?

A: For this production, a character has been added who does not appear in the original script. He weaves throughout the play, providing musical accompaniment on a drum, tambourine and cymbals. We also have a terrific soundtrack by Dewey Dellay, and we all sing, too.

And the three sirens who try to seduce Ulysses are Diana Ross, Tina Turner and James Brown. So there’s definitely some great music in this piece.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: I’m doing the David Mamet play “Race” at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater in June. I’m playing the black lawyer and Jackie Davis is directing. It will be my first time at Wellfleet, and I am really looking forward to it.